Arduous Dilemma
by TenshiXXX
Summary: Due to a special ability passed down to a select few within the Hyuuga Clan, Neji has sworn to never lose his virginity. Unsurprisingly, Gaara destroys his resolution without much effort, leaving Neji with one big problem. GaaNeji MPreg.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"You have got to be kidding me," Neji said, his voice oddly imperturbable and placid considering what he had just been told.

His uncle, sensing that his nephew was actually as far from calm as was possible and that his bland, motionless tone was actually a warning, hurried to pacify the feminine brunet.

"Neji, this is an _honour,_" he said, deliberately stressing the last word of his sentence, "You are only the third person during the last 50 years who has been born with this unique ability. It's a _gift._ Surely you realise how incredible this is!"

"_An honour? An honour?"_ Neji's lithe alabaster hands clenched the silk of his obsidian kimono in an unyielding grip as his voice rose to an alarming level, "How can you say that?...I'm a freak,"

The admittance of how unnatural he felt was very private, so his words were whispered in a tired, cold tone. Hiashi, knowing this, sighed.

"You may say this now," he said gently, laying his hand on his nephew's shoulder where his traditional dress had fallen. He noticed, with wonderment, that even his pale skin seeming strangely dark against Neji's milky-white, luminescent flesh.

He left his sentence hanging in the air before he got up to leave, wincing as his back cracked with his movements. He made his way to the door, knowing instinctively that Neji needed some alone time after what he had been informed, turning back as he reached for the handle. The brunet's face was hidden from view by a silken curtain of long ebony hair, but Hiashi could tell that his head was bowed. He exhaled. Maybe in time Neji would come to his senses and realise that he was special, not a "freak" as said nephew had so eloquently phrased it. He shut the door with a resounding snap.

Neji swallowed harshly and looked up as his uncle left, his usually icy, detached gaze set in a glare. Why did this have to happen, just when life was beginning to look good for him? He had been almost happy for a little while- the key word being _almost._ He would never get over his father's death, and the absence of a parental figure in his life left a deep, black void within him which none could fill. Hiashi tried; Neji could see that. But the Clan's head wasn't his brother, even though he bared an uncanny resemblance to Hizashi, as twins were wont to do.

Almost happy had been fine for Neji. He had friends and he was respected as a genius within and without the Hyuuga Clan. Hiashi had even approached him a year ago, asking if he was willing to trade places with his daughter Hinata or his younger offspring Hanabi and train up to become the next head of the Clan. Yet Neji had politely refused, abstaining because he didn't think he could live with the guilt of once again proving to his little sister just how powerful a ninja her nii-san was.

No, he would wait to rid himself of that hideous, iridescent tattoo which marred his forehead. It was a little known fact that Uzumaki Naruto was going to be Rokudaime Hokage, and the blond's promise to Neji during their fateful encounter at the Chuunin exams still rung in the brunet's ears. _"When I become Hokage, I'm going to change the Hyuuga clan."_ Naruto never went back on his word, which served only to enforce Neji's belief that he was going to be freed one day.

The brunet wondered if Naruto would be so keen to help him if he knew Neji's secret. But it would never come to that; it would be over his dead body that his new found secret be divulged to anybody. And Neji was convinced that Naruto wouldn't care, but he wasn't so sure that he would be able to handle the prejudiced views of the more bigoted members of the general public of Konoha, nor the females who thought it was "cute", and, most definitely not, the men who would want to bed him after discovering that little tidbit of information.

He had always thought that he was special in a positive sense. He was a genius, a powerful ninja, and, back at the academy, had been treated very much as the Uchiha had been by the fairer sex. But now he just wanted to be _normal. _

Normal in a way that meant that there was no chance of him becoming pregnant.

He clenched his hand tighter, feeling the savage bite of his nails digging into the soft, pale flesh of his unblemished palm. Kami, whichever God that was up there really hated him. Whatever had he done to deserve this? He supposed that some men would count this as a blessing, but, to him, it was a curse.

His father was the reason that he was in this predicament. _One _of his fathers, that is; Hiashi had just informed Neji that he was himself born from a man. Unfortunately, any hope that the brunet had kindling in his heart was quickly extinguished as his uncle informed him that his other father was killed when the Kyuubi attacked the village sixteen years ago. And Neji had inherited this trait from Hizashi, it seemed.

The gene for male pregnancy was exactly like the Byukagan in one respect: only people from within the Hyuuga Clan had any chance of possessing this unique ability. But, unlike the revered bloodline trait, very few people from within the Clan actually had the necessary DNA. Hence, Neji was a special case; a freak.

If it wasn't for the heavy bleeding from his backside he had complained about to a Clan healer, he wouldn't have found out until it was too late. According to Hiashi, Gravispeius, as they were known, didn't become able to have children until their late teens. Since Neji was now seventeen, it seemed that "puberty" had kicked in, consummating with his first "period". Though he had been immensely relieved to learn that there wasn't a any internal bleeding, this feeling of ease was over-shadowed by the startling, new discovery of exactly what he was.

He stared down at his torso, knowing that, beneath its thin, silk covering, there was the body of a fighter. A toned, hard chest with rosy-pink nipples and a flat, lean abdomen, leading down to angular, feminine hips. And he was expected to ruin that by carrying a snot-nosed brat or two inside him for six months? Hiashi must have been joking. Neji was a very vain person, and the mere idea of marring his good looks sent a shudder up his spine.

The healer alerted Hiashi, and he had informed Tsunade that they had a Gravispeius in their midst. After she had promised not to tell anyone, she had given Hiashi some powerful contraceptive tablets which Neji had no intention of ever needing to use. He knew he was gay; it was blatantly obvious, and he hadn't known why so many people were shocked when he had come out three years ago. But his sexuality didn't mean that he had to let men have sex with him. Remaining a virgin his whole life shouldn't be too hard; he had managed without sex for seventeen years, so why would he need it now? Afterall, you can't lose what you never had.

He could definitely do without the periods, too.

He brushed his raven hair out of his eyes. He sighed. He would never be able to have a good time at Kurenia's and Asuma's engagement party with this looming over his head. It didn't help that Kurenai was eight months pregnant either. One look at her bulging stomach would send all thoughts about his condition to the surface of is mind again.

Make no mistake about it, he was happy for them. He hadn't ever had somebody he could loved him in that sense, so he was a little jealous aswell.

And, besides, why was he freaking out so badly, anyway? This wasn't like him. He was cool, unflappable Hyuuga Neji, and here he was having a fit about people finding out about something when ninja such as he were professionals in the world of espionage.

He shook his head at his moment of irrationality. He _would _go to that party, and he _would _act as he normally did. The only way anyone would find out was if he acted suspiciously.

That being said, he got up and strode towards his huge, walk-in closet and pulled on a black, form-fitting shirt which hugged his body and some slightly tight black jeans, complete with a simple silver belt.

"I believe the phrase "simple but effective" applies," he mused to himself as he took a long, black ribbon off his dresser and tied his hair back with it. As an afterthought, he also added a little mascara and a hint of eyeliner to make his pale eyes seem larger and stand out more against his whiter than white skin. It didn't hurt to look good, and Neji liked having all eyes on him, even if he _was_ completely unattainable.

Now, he had to wait for Naruto to show up. He had promised to walk there with Naruto, who had jokingly proclaimed "the two ukes" in a giggly, girlish voice. He shut up when Neji's sucker-punch nearly sent him through the wall.

Knowing _that _idiot, he would be late by at least five minutes. Neji was glad he wasn't waiting on Kakashi-sensei; otherwise, Kurenai's child would be grown up by the time they made it there.

To the brunet's surprise, the blond walked in five minutes _early_ as opposed to late, dressed in blue jeans which hugged his body in all the right places and a mesh shirt that left nothing to the imagination.

"Is that for _Sasuke_?" Neji asked sweetly, grinning maliciously as the blond went white, then red, and finally purple.

"N-No?" he tried weakly, making Neji snigger at his friend's expense. Naruto pouted at him.

"Sadist," he accused half-heartedly.

"Masochist," Neji shot back, causing the blond to huff in frustration.

"At least I don't look like a hooker!" he stated imperiously.

"Actually, yes you do," Neji dead-panned. And, for once in his life, Uzumaki Naruto appeared speechless.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

When they arrived at the Bar, most people were already there. It looked as though _everybody_ had come. Hell, even Tsunade and Gaara were there! But, then again, the slug sannin would follow sake anywhere. He supposed that Naruto had cajoled Gaara into coming, as the red head didn't seem the type to indulge. There were a few people he didn't know, one of which looked like a younger version of Kurenai. Her younger sister, perhaps?

For some reason, as soon as Neji set his eyes on her, he didn't like what he saw. His perfectly honed ninja instincts told him that she was trouble. Whether it was because of the tiny midriff which showed most of her minimal cleavage, or the mini skirt which looked almost as though it was about to disappear into her barely-there, thong-clad ass, he wasn't sure.

He shrugged, then smirked, spotting a certain blond ordering what must have been his seventh drink. The way he was going, he would end up well and truly trashed before the night was out. Neji hoped that he would start table dancing or something equally as humiliating; he really needed more material to tease Naruto about.

He looked around the room, spotting Shikamaru entertaining both Temari and Ino. He winked at the lazy nin, who smiled back and nodded in aknowledgement. The brunet's eyes continued to rove around the room, but stopped on Kurenai's "sister" again. He scowled. Did she have no self respect? There she was, all over the _Kazekage_ for Kami's sake, trying to get his attention as he purposely ignored her. She leaned over the table, her top falling down slightly. That was all that was needed to make her almost non-existent breasts tumble out of her top. Neji laughed to himself at the look of disgust that crossed Gaara's face.

"I'm glad I'm not him right now," he said to himself.

He watched as she leaned over even more, her brown hair falling into her face. Her hand, he noticed, was raised above Gaara's drink, holding something which glistened in her lax grip.

_A bottle?_ he questioned, frowning.

Gaara was so enamored with ignoring her that he appeared to not have noticed. It was only as she tilted her fist, several drops of violently purple liquid splashing into the red head's drink, that he figured out exactly what she intended to do.

Lightning fast, Neji dashed over to him and sat down on a nearby barstool. After a moment of indecision, he switched Gaara's drink with the girl's, daring her to say anything with a hateful look in his eyes.

Gaara turned back around, blinking at Neji with some confusion.

"Is that my drink?" he asked, gesturing to the glass Neji had in front of him.

"No, of course not," Neji responded, and did the stupidest thing he had ever done in his life.

He gulped it down. Gaara stared.

"I think, Hyuuga," he muttered, "That you just might be even stranger than me,"

Neji didn't care. The only thing that mattered now was the heat coursing through his limbs and centering around his groin. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the table.

"Dammit," he muttered, looking up as Gaara sipped his own drink with amusement.

That amusement soon disappeared from his features as his pupils dilated.

"Hyuuga," he growled, "What did you do?"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

This is sh1t, isn't it?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Neji watched the sand beginning to swirl around the red head with horror, as he let out a low, ragged moan, clutching his unruly red locks in agony. Kurenia's "sister" gasped and fell off her bar stool in shock, then turned and ran away. Neji wasn't faring much better. With a groan, he fell forward, and the only thing that has stopped him from planting his face in Gaara's lap was the sand which swirled around him. He gasped as it grabbed him, feeling it scrape the supple flesh of his wrist.

"Gaara!" he tried, barely holding back a groan, "Gaara, you have to calm down!"

"Hot," the red head moaned, having not heard him, "Burning,"

He moved slightly, his legs parting further. Neji noted the sizable tent in the crotch of his robes with shock.

_I can't believe she put it in both drinks, _Neji thought, eyes narrowed. Yet he could see the genius behind her plan. If she was drugged too, it would be unlikely that anybody would point the finger at her, and Gaara would have to agree to her terms. Afterall, a young woman couldn't _possibly _take advantage of a man.

"Gaara, listen to me!" Neji said, teeth gritted, "You need to calm down. Your sand is going to hurt somebody,"

Gaara turned around to face Neji completely, his eyes a dark turquoise with arousal rather than his usual sky blue. He looked slightly dazed through his torment, but made his sand slither back into his gourd. Neji fell forward as his bonds were released, mildly surprised to feel Gaara catch him. Neji admonished, with some concern, that Gaara's eyes were completely trained on his groin as he panted, yet disregarded it and placed his hand on Gaara's.

Nobody made a sound. The only noise which filled the room was the red head's ragged breathing, and Neji's similarly erratic panting

With tremendous effort, Neji wrapped a gentle hand around Gaara's wrist, pushing his way through the crowd which had gathered to witness that spectacle. He pulled the Kazekage into a back room, which turned out to be a store room filled with alcohol of all kinds, and sat him down on an over-turned crate. He slammed the door and locked it with a clearly audible click that spoke volumes: do not disturb.

Had anybody else seen what had happened with that girl, he would have no problem with letting _them _sit with the red head to make sure that he didn't thrash about too much and hurt himself. But, as it were, he didn't particularly feel like explaining what had happened and he didn't know of anybody who would be able to deal with an extremely sexually frustrated ex-demon vessel. Then there was his own situation to deal with. He felt hot all over, and his groin tingled deliciously, as though fingers were teasingly stroking him. He had the unsettling urge to touch himself in places he had never considered touching, and in front of the Kazekage, no less.

The fact that he was almost incoherent with need led Neji to believe that it was a very potent form of aphrodisiac.

_Black market stuff, _Neji decided, as Gaara bit his lip, almost drawing blood. He noted the large area of wetness over the large bulge, which had even soaked through the red head's robes, with a blush.

"It won't go away!" Gaara growled, frustration and pain evident in his voice.

"It's an aphrodisiac," Neji told him quietly, "That girl poured it into your drink. I switched them, but I didn't realise that she'd also drugged the other drink too,"

It looked as though Gaara couldn't manage to look murderous though this sexual torture.

"How do I cure it?" he gasped.

Neji flushed.

He stood up, stretching slightly, pulling his ribbon out of his wind-swept hair as he wondered how to explain what the drug was and how it was used. It fell around his face, shimmering in the dull light. He was oblivious to the effect he was having on his companion. He didn't notice the way that Gaara's panting grew harsher as the red head looked him up and down, taking in the lean abdomen that was exposed when the shirt rode up due to Neji's stretching and...was that a tattoo?

Yes. He could see from his position the tiny raven with a white ribbon in its mouth inked onto Neji's back, where it would usually be hidden by hair.

He bit his lip...

And then pounced on Neji, the force carrying them both backwards into the wall. Neji winced slightly as his back came into contact with smooth hard plaster. He felt a long slightly muscular leg slide between his own and press up against his groin as the ex jinchuuriki panted harshly into his shoulder. Neji threw back his head and howled. It felt so good yet so bad at the same time.

"G-Gaara?" he choked out, "W-What...?"

His words were cut off when he felt a warm mouth latch onto his neck, sucking and nibbling the juncture between his shoulder and throat. He let out gasp of surprise and pleasure, grasping Gaara's biceps in an iron grip.

"Gaara, what are y-you doing?" he gasped out, feeling a slick wet tongue slide down over his collar bone, pausing to bite on the supple flesh, before continuing down towards Neji's shirt.

"J-Just shut up and let me do this," Gaara snapped raggedly, raising his head momentarily to fumble with the ties which fastened his top.

The only thought going through Neji's head at this moment was _Shit! I can't let him do that! I have to tell him!_

But, at the same time, he didn't want to tell Gaara anything about his condition. The admittance to another person that he had this ability was liable to make it seem more real; more final. But if he didn't tell the red head now, he would probably end up pregnant, and that was something that he didn't think he could handle.

"G-Gaara!" Neji said sharply, "N-No! You need to know something about me!"

"Tell me later," Gaara growled, pulling apart his top and letting it fall onto the ground.

"But-"

A single warm finger was shakily pressed to his lips, silencing him.

"I need this, Neji," he said roughly, "I'll fucking go insane if I don't get what I want now. Just this once?"

"Gaara, I need to tell you something!" Neji said, pulling that digit away from his lips with trembling fingers. The aphrodisiac was incredibly potent. He could only just see straight.

"And I've already said that you can tell me later,"

And then the ex jinchuuriki's hands were massaging his back as hot lips latched onto his collar bone again, slowly trailing downwards. Every time Neji tried to get a word out, he ended up gasping or groaning. But, as those dexterous hands reached his backside, he forgot about telling Gaara that there was a distinct possibility that he could become pregnant, forgot about informing him that there were people outside, and forgot to tell the red head that he was a virgin. He wondered briefly if it was normal to be that sensitive down there as he melted into the kazekage's arms, whimpering in the most pathetic way imaginable. His firm ass was being kneaded, and he spread his legs instinctively, pushing more of his backside into Gaara's hands.

"G-Gaara..nhng," Neji moaned throatily, breath escaping from between his parted lips in short puffs. He would never have guessed that such an area would be so sensitive, but it made sense that the aphrodisiac would be most focussed in the parts that were considered of use in sexual situations.

Upon realizing that his partner was giving in, albeit reluctantly, Gaara went the final step to ensuring that he got what he wanted and practically ripped the brunet's jeans open and shoved his hand inside. Neji wasn't wearing any boxers, having known that he wouldn't be able to fit his jeans on over the top. He practically sobbed with want as Gaara grasped his erect cock in a surprisingly steady hand, the other sliding between Neji's cheeks.

"Nng...ah!" he gasped desperately when Gaara paused in his ministrations to yank his jeans to his ankles. He stepped out of them and toed his shoes off, covering his groin as he looked abashedly to the side. But when he realised that Gaara was stripping, he couldn't help but look as the less modest ex demon vessel's body came into view as he removed each article of clothing one by one.

_God, he's gorgeous,_ Neji thought as the red head raised an eyebrow expectantly, standing there in all his naked glory.

He was slightly shorter than Neji, though not by much, but he made up for his lack of height with a muscular build which probably derived from carrying that gourd around all day. His skin, though pale, was a lot darker than the brunet's, and made his fiery hair and kohl-rimmed eyes stand out more and appear even more exotic than they already did. Neji nearly began to salivate as his eyes trailed down over a perfectly defined six pack and paused at the red head's sizable erecting. Jutting out from a nest of thick red hair, it was longer than Neji's (who was a sizable seven inches, thank you very much) and thicker too. At the moment, it was almost purple with want, and Neji cringed with empathy. His own cock was in a similar state. But it would all be over soon. Gaara would come, leave and then he could go back to only talking to Neji when he had to.

For some reason, that thought sent a pang of hurt through his chest, but he quickly quashed any thought of getting Gaara to consent to dating him. It wasn't as though everyone ended up with the person they lost their virginity too, anyway, so it would be foolish to become attached.

"Come here," Gaara said lowly, making an effort to steady his voice. Neji walked forwards until they were chest to chest.

"Do you have any lube?" the ex demon vessel asked, sliding his hands up to stroke Neji's hair. It was so gentle...

"Hello? Anyone in there?"

"No," Neji replied, "We'll have to use alcohol,"

He reached out and snagged a conveniently placed bottle of spiced rum off the top of a crate and handed it to Gaara before turning around and bracing himself against the wall. He heard the subtle sound of the cork popping out of the bottle and the slosh of liquid being poured out, but that didn't prepare him for the feeling of ice cold alcohol being poured all over his ass. He yelped softly, his sensitised skin making the cool liquid feel like liquid nitrogen. He bemusedly wondered what was going on.

He soon found out.

Fingers were digging into his perfectly formed backside and parting his cheeks until Neji was sure that Gaara would be able to see everything. That thought made him blush like Hinata after Naruto had complimented her, and he was glad that he was facing the wall so that the Kazekage wouldn't be able to see the mortified look which crossed his face.

"What are you doing?" he asked, horrified.

"God, you look so good like this," Gaara said in a strained whisper, ignoring the brunet's question. Neji wondered for a moment how anyone could look good like that, but shrugged it off; that didn't matter right now. He just wished that he knew what the ex demon vessel was doing.

But then he didn't have to wonder anymore. Gaara 's face was suddenly pressed against his ass as he licked Neji's crack from top to bottom. The brunet jolted at the sensation, refusing to acknowledge how good that felt, and turned around.

"Did you just...?"

"Yes," Gaara replied impatiently, "Now turn around again. I need to get you ready for me, and this is the fastest way to do that,"

"But it's disgusting," Neji replied flatly, "Why would you want to put your tongue there?"

"Just shut up and turn around,"

Neji obeyed, though he was still baffled as to why anybody would want to do that. Then Gaara's tongue was back, but this time it just went straight to his hole, stimulating the sensitive pink flesh. He felt his thighs tighten and he let out a short moan before biting his index finger to muffle the sound.

The licking went on like this for quite a while and he barely noticed when he grabbed his own cheeks and prised them apart painfully, thrusting back into the red head's face.

"Mmm," he moaned around his finger, feeling ashamed that he wanted Gaara to put his tongue _inside _his passage. He looked down with half lidded glassy eyes, his face flushed pink. He couldn't see Gaara but it felt good to rest his searingly hot forehead against the blessedly cool wall.

"Please," he murmured softly, hating the way he had been reduced to this mess with just a few simple licks. He hated the pleading too, but he wanted to get this over with and Gaara seemed like the sadistic sort who liked to humiliate people.

"AAAAHHHH!" he shouted loudly, clawing desperately at the wall as that talented tongue slid inside him, tasting and massaging his inner walls. He almost thought he was going to die from the sheer sensation over loading him, and didn't even realise that his eyes were watering.

_Damn, I'm sensitive, _he thought, _I wonder if this is because of the aphrodisiac. Or maybe it's because I'm a Graspveius._

With that thought, the reality of the situation came crashing down on his again, but he reminded himself forcefully that people usually don't get pregnant after only one time.

"God no!" he said as Gaara pulled his tongue out with a squelching noise, and winced; he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"Turn," the Kazekage said gruffly, and Neji did so, though shakily. He was sure he had never been so turned on in his life. His cock was so hard that it hurt and he knew that it was heavy with blood. He looked down, but that only made him wince. It was practically purple. He didn't know how he hadn't passed out from arousal yet.

"Put your legs around my waist," Gaara ordered, and Neji wrapped his arms around the red head's shoulders, heaving himself up to clutch at the kazekage's waist with the aforementioned limbs. He sighed with relief as his groin rubbed against Gaara's abs.

"I'm going to put it in," was the only warning he received before he felt something a lot bigger than a finger entering him, and immediately tensed up with shock.

"S-Stop...cl-clenching," Gaara ordered, but Neji couldn't help it. He had never done this before and, even with preparation, it still burned and there was no pleasure at all. He attempted to relax his muscles and took a deep breath, which helped a little.

He felt rather than heard Gaara breathe in deeply and then he was thrusting. Though it was not exactly a good feeling per se, as even the aphrodisiac couldn't drown out the pain, the thought of the Kazekage fucking was undeniably hot and he let out a low moan.

As Gaara picked up the pace, a jolt went through the brunet's body, and he shuddered in the ex demon vessel's grasp. Maybe sensitivity wasn't such a bitch afterall.

The way Gaara's cock moved inside him was indescribable. It felt so good, and his prostate hadn't even been stimulated yet.

"Ah...mmm," Neji moaned through tightly gritted teeth, fingers scrabbling over Gaara's back as the thrusts became more erratic, slamming into him with such force that he was surprised that he hadn't been smashed through the wall. He had his face pressed into the red head's shoulder, inhaling the vanilla scent of Gaara's hair, and tightened his thighs around the kazekage's waist. He could feel the muscles of Gaara's back shifting and tensing beneath his calves as he thrusted into Neji's body, panting harshly in the brunet's ear.

Neji could tell by the tense line of his jaw that the red head wouldn't last much longer. In an attempt to heighten the pleasure for Gaara, he moved his hips to a different angle, tightening up. He hadn't expected the white hot feeling of pleasure radiating out from his ass, causing him to shriek like a woman, as Gaara's cock jabbed something within him.

The Kazekage thrust in again, hitting that spot, and Neji shuddered in his arms, his mouth open in a silent scream as he came all over his and Gaara's chests. His body spasmed and tightened like a clamp around the red head's erection and the brunet thought that it seemed like his body was trying to imprint every vein and curve of Gaara's cock onto his passage walls. He belatedly realised that Gaara was coming too when he felt the powerful pulses of the kazekage's seed exploding inside him. His neck was bit by the red head and he winced, not expecting it.

Pulling back, Gaara let his now flaccid cock slide out of the tight passage with a wet sound. Neji gingerly let go of his vice-like grip around the kazekage's waist and stood up, leaning against the wall as post orgasmic bliss began to fade and Gaara's seed began to drip down his legs. Gaara threw his clothes to him, and Neji quickly got dressed, feeling a slight pang of hurt that the ex demon vessel was avoiding his gaze. He almost snorted at the cruelness of the situation. He had just given his virginity to the guy, and the bastard didn't even care! Of course, Gaara might not have known that Neji had been a virgin, but that was beside the point.

Well, if Gaara didn't want anything to do with Neji, then he wouldn't force his company on the red head any longer. With his head held high, he managed to lace his top with the help of his Byukagan. He stalked past the red head with a guarded look on his face, ignoring the hurt he felt when Gaara continued to avoid his gaze.

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You probably all hate me now! Don't worry, they won't be like this forever. Just give it some time and they'll be fucking like bunnies...again.

Ja Ne, all!

TenshiXXX

**Edit:**** As you've probably noticed, I have changed some details. This will hopefully turn this fic into one I can be proud of, as opposed to one I am ashamed of, which is currently the case. I began to write this when I was 13, and I'm sorry to say that my representations of characters and events were very juvenile, even if the subject matter was not. I have therefore changed the little details that particularly pissed me off, while maintaining the original storyline. I hope the fic satisfies.**


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNINGS: mentions of abortion, tiny scene with some KankuroNeji, Promiscuous!Gaara.**

Chapter 3:

Blue. Blue was all that registered in Neji's cold numb mind. The small stick in his hand snapped from the pressure it was under and the pieces fell from his clenching fist in splinters of plastic. But he didn't notice. A small choked sob escaped his tightly pressed lips and the tears began to fall, coursing their way down his face and into his lap. His mantra of _I will not cry, Shinobi don't cry_ was forgotten and he allowed himself the small luxury of making his panic and fear known inside this deserted place with only marble and porcelain there to witness this one moment of weakness.

With every tear leaking out of his tightly shut eyes, his panic and anger and hurt became too much. He stood up and drove his fist into the wood of the cabinet, feeling it snap and break, his knuckles splitting open and bleeding from the force. He opened his fist, ignoring the sting of his abused hand. The sole shard of the pregnancy test still remaining in his hand was bright sky blue, glaring up at him as though mocking him. He had done everything exactly right. Twice. You pricked your finger and smeared the blood on the small white stick and it changed color. Red meant negative and blue meant positive. Both times it had turned blue.

He was pregnant.

He sunk down onto the floor, his uninjured hand buried in his hair, feeling suddenly void of emotion. Why did it have to be now? He was about to go in for ANBU, and the Hyuuga Clan elders were just beginning to see him as a stronger Shinobi than even Hiashi. And now it was ruined. The elders would scorn him for not being able to keep his legs closed and he would fall from grace in the Hyuuga Clan faster than a stone dropped off a building. A bastard child who would never know his own father. That was what he was carrying right now, minute and insignificant at the moment though it may have been. And his hopes of joining ANBU would be shattered the moment Tsunade found out about his accident.

Because that was what it was: an accident. It was nothing more than a mistake generated from an hour of lost inhibitions and imbibed aphrodisiac.

And the villagers? What would they think? Neji knew that Naruto had been on the end of their hatred because of his own abnormalities and he knew that they wouldn't think that this was all that different. He didn't want to have to put up with what Naruto had. It was only now when faced with the same close-minded bigots that the blond had dealt with since his childhood; that he realized that the blond was braver than Neji had given him credit for. He felt his respect for the future Hokage soar, especially when he recalled the reaction that the villagers (especially the fan girls) had had when Uchiha Sasuke had returned only to reveal that he and Naruto were now an item. They had been horrified that the Uchiha prodigy was engaging in a relationship with the demon vessel and immediately came to the conclusion that Naruto must have drugged the other Shinobi or used some kind of evil jutsu on him to make him fall in love with the blond. It eventually died down when their close friends had "talked" to various members of the village about the way they were treating Naruto. This meant that Sakura had smashed up plenty of boulders. While Neji had informed them that he could kill with a short jab of his finger, and Gaara...

No, that was too painful. It was best not to think about him. But, no matter what he told himself, he couldn't help but remember the way the red head felt in his arms. He had to face the facts. Somewhere during the two weeks after they had had sex, he had developed romantic feelings for the red head, and he was confident that it had nothing to do with Gaara's status as the other father of his child. Whenever he thought about those stunning exotic eyes rimmed in kohl and that fiery red hair which matched Gaara's personality and the solid muscles the red head had managed to accumulate over the years, he felt his cock harden. Yet he still had a feeling of self loathing situated in his gut. It was undeniably strange.

He placed his hand on his still flat stomach, his thoughts returning to the problem at hand. He had two choices. Keep it or have an abortion.

He stood up. No, he didn't have a choice at all. It was going to have to be the latter option. As much as he hated abortion, the thought of becoming a father so early in his young life was too much to bear. He was nearly seventeen, certainly, but that was no age to carry a child. He told himself that it was the only way, that it would be kinder to the baby if it died now rather than suffer from Neji's poor parenting skills. He couldn't help but have misgivings, though. It was still a life that he was taking.

Looking in the mirror, he conceded that he looked like hell. His cheeks were flushed and tear stained, his eyes puffy and red rimmed from the crying he had been doing (yet shouldn't have been doing in the first place, he reminded himself). His hair was, thankfully, relatively neat, which he counted as a small blessing.

He had planned on exiting his bathroom and sneaking off to see Tsunade-sama on the spot about abortion, but that idea was foiled when he stepped into his room to find Hinata sitting on his bed, putting yutakas onto hangers ready for the wardrobe. He started when he saw her, and she looked up, surprised.

"Nii-san?" she asked worriedly. He looked away, "Nii-san, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied calmly, "I'm fine,"

But she was having none of it. She made her way over to him and looked him in the eye, though she had to tilt her head back due to Neji's relatively impressive height. Sighing, he gave in to the fact that he would have to tell her the truth. Maybe she could have helped him.

"Can you get me an appointment with Tsunade-sama please?" he asked, his fist gripping the remaining splinter of pregnancy test which was digging into his palm.

Her expression became fearful and she threw her arms around him. Evidently, that wasn't the best way to phrase it. This, coupled with the tear tracks on his cheeks, probably led her to believe that he had some kind of deadly disease.

"You're ill!" she said, "Nii-san, you don't think it's... _serious _do you?"

"No, I'm not ill," he told her, exasperation coloring his tone, "I'm...I think I'm pregnant,"

It was so much easier to tell her than he had anticipated. He knew he could trust her with this secret. She was the only other person beside Hiashi-sama, Tsunade-sama and one of the elders who knew about his ability. He just hoped she didn't faint, because he didn't want to have to explain to a medic the reason she had passed out. Luckily, she didn't. Shocked, she clapped her hands to her mouth and sat down heavily in the plush white armchair beside the window.

"Are you sure?" she asked uncertainly. In response, he held out the piece of pregnancy test for confirmation, not trusting himself to speak. She gingerly took it from him and turned it over in her palm, examining it. Neji noticed, with embarrassment, that his own hands were as womanly as hers with soft slender fingers and rounded silvery fingernails, though his were a lot bigger.

"You're pregnant, Nii-san," she whispered after a tense pause, handing it back to him, "How...How far along are you?"

"About two weeks," he sighed.

"Can you get me an appointment with Tsunade-sama?" Neji repeated his earlier question. She nodded slowly.

"Why, though?" she asked, "If you wanted confirmation that you're pregnant, you could have come to me. And you've got that now."

"I already knew that I was pregnant before I came in here. I want an appointment-" He took a deep breath and looked straight at her, "- for an abortion,"

Judging by the way she looked at him, that wasn't what she had expected. There was shock and nervousness and even a hint of horror reflected in her eyes.

"Nii-san, don't make any rash decisions," she pleaded, "Remember, it's a baby, not a...a parasite. Think about it before you decide,"

"I've already decided," He said, "I wouldn't make a very good parent and I don't want anyone to find out about this. You know how I feel about my condition,"

"You make it seem as though it's a disease," she said, frowning with disappointment.

"Isn't it, though?" The brunette asked, only half joking. Her eyes narrowed with disapproval.

"Nii-san, I'm serious!" She snapped. He stared back at her with wide eyes, amazed that this usually timid girl had the gall to do so. She immediately realized her mistake and blushed.

"Gomen," She said softly, "But, please; promise me that you'll give it a few days to think about it,"

There was a tense pause during which Neji stared at her and she stared back. There was hope in her eyes, hope that he would keep the child, raise it and allow Hinata to play favourite Aunt with it, but also a hint of concern that he would go ahead with the abortion despite what she felt was best.

"I'll give it two days, Hinata," He told her in a voice that allowed no arguments, "After that I'll make my decision and you won't interfere. And you won't tell Hiashi-sama about this. Agreed?"

She nodded slowly, satisfied for the moment. He was certain that she was going to be spending the next two days trying to convince him to keep the baby, but he had no intention of caving. This child was conceived out of wedlock in a dusty wine store behind the bar. Just the thought made him want to cringe with shame. He wasn't showing yet; it would be a while before he did, but he felt very conscious of his pregnant state and worried that somebody would notice and reveal it to the world.

In fact, even a day later he was still obsessing over his stomach and had taken to wearing obscenely baggy clothes, at least two sizes too big. He knew that his strange behavior would attract scrutiny from people, but he couldn't help it. He felt as though a massive neon sign was floating above his head, proclaiming "PREGNANT", and couldn't help but want to make himself appear smaller.

It was on this day that he saw Gaara for the first time since the engagement party and their subsequent copulation. The sight of him drove a spike of pain through Neji's heart, not least because of the way he had his arm wrapped around a brunette girl, who was giggling giddily as she rested her head against his chest.

"I feel sorry for the poor girl, don't you?" Neji heard someone say, "He'll just have her then move on to someone else,"

He nodded at Kankuro, who was leaning against the wall beside him, his face void of paint for once. He was wearing a black tank top and baggy combats, a combination which Neji felt made him look quite attractive. Well, attractive for Kankuro, at any rate.

"Why does he do it, though?" Neji asked, frowning slightly, "Doesn't he realize that he's hurting people?"

Kankuro tilted his head back and laughed,

"No, he doesn't, actually," He said, "When it comes to feelings, Gaara's completely clueless. He thinks he's showing people how much he loves them by letting them have him for one night, when he's really only doing the opposite,"

Neji snorted quietly.

"I'll bet that he doesn't know about STIs either," Kankuro continued. Neji felt slight panic at his words, wondering if he had contracted syphilis from the promiscuous red head.

"How many people has he slept with?" He asked, pushing away thoughts of sexual infections from his mind. If it wasn't bad enough that he was a pregnant teenager, barely older than a kid himself, he now had the possibility of STIs hanging over his head.

"Approximately? Half the world," The puppet master sniggered, causing Neji to shoot him a withering glare.

"Seriously, though," Kankuro said, "Probably about fifty different people that I know about,"

"That you know about?" Neji asked, trying to keep the incredulous tone out of his voice, "So there's probably more?"

The puppet master shrugged, unconcerned.

"So it's just women he sleeps with?" The brunette inquired casually.

"Yes. I'd know if he'd been with a guy,"

"Don't be so sure about that," Neji muttered dryly, confident that Kankuro wouldn't have heard him. Unfortunately, his confidence was misplaced.

"What?" The puppet master asked, confused, "What do you mean?"

"Nothing, just forget I said anything," Neji sighed, gesturing with his hand.

"Do you mean that you-?"

In an instant, Neji's hand was pressed against his mouth, impairing further speech. His eyes, however, communicated everything that his mouth could not. He was staring at the brunette with bewilderment and shock, not even making a move to remove the fingers away from his mouth. When he was certain that Kankuro wasn't going to yell, Neji carefully moved away, all the time sending the puppet master a warning glare.

"_You fucked my brother?_" The puppet master hissed. Neji shook his head reluctantly. He cursed himself for being so careless. Well, he couldn't lie to Kankuro now, not when he knew the truth. The other shinobi wasn't the sharpest kunai in the weapons pouch, but his training would have covered knowing when somebody was lying to you.

"No. He was seme," Neji said in an equally soft voice, flushing in spite of himself. Kankuro raised an eyebrow but, thankfully, didn't say anything.

"And now you're pining for him?" the puppet master asked. Neji shook his head frantically. He couldn't stand the thought of having unrequited love for somebody.

"No, but he left me with a bit of a...problem," He said, "And, before you ask, I'm not telling you what it is,"

Kankuro's mouth snapped shut again and he narrowed his eyes.

"He hasn't infected you with anything, has he?"

Again Neji shook his head. The other shinobi looked relieved.

"Good. It's bad enough that he sleeps around so much as it is. If he starts infecting people with the clap, he won't be Kazekage much longer," He said. He shook his head, an amused smile on his face.

"I can't believe that he slept with you of all people. Not that I'm trying to insult you or anything. It's just...well, you're a _guy_. I didn't peg him as the bisexual type," He looked Neji up and down, making the brunette distinctly uncomfortable with this blatant appraisal.

"Though you _are_ kind of feminine, so maybe that's the reason." He continued.

"Somebody had drugged us, too," Neji said, "I told him that it wasn't a good idea, but he looked as though it was almost painful, so I gave in," He shrugged at the irony. He had planned on saving his virginity for his future husband. Hiashi wouldn't object to him marrying another man, so long as he produced children. In fact, his Uncle was looking at several prospects already, according to Hinata, and had narrowed down the list to four healthy males a few years older than him. Whoever he married wasn't going to get the chance to deflower him now.

Kankuro nodded thoughtfully. "I suppose he wouldn't have given a damn who he fucked as long as he got off, then," He said, causing Neji to flinch. The puppet master sent him an apologetic look, "No offense. You're pretty easy on the eyes, Hyuuga. I'd give you a go if I had the chance," He sent the brunette a grin, causing a light pink to surface on Neji's cheeks.

"Thanks," He said awkwardly, not quite knowing how to respond to that. He'd never been complimented like that by another good looking guy, and it felt nice, although a bit strange.

"Y'know, if you're looking for someone to fool around with once in a while, I'll be happy to help out," Kankuro said lecherously. Neji jerked slightly, wondering if he'd heard right or had accidentally misinterpreted it.

"Come again?" he asked.

"I said, if you're looking for someone to fool around with once in a while, I'll be happy to help out,"

"Fool around?" Neji asked nervously, though he kept it out of his voice. He was aware that the puppet master was slowly drawing closer to him and swallowed, his eyes fixed on Kankuro's. He could feel the other nin's breath on his face as he inhaled deeply, one calloused hand gently cupping Neji's face.

"You smell really good," Kankuro whispered, his lips drawing closer and closer until they were a mere centimeters apart. Gaara's face came into Neji's mind, and he shoved Kankuro backwards, startling even himself.

"Kankuro, what are you doing?" A cold voice snarled. Upon hearing this, Neji's eyes widened and he leapt backwards, leaving a thoroughly pissed looking sand nin to deal with his younger, scarier, even more pissed brother. Neji realized that he had forgotten to add hotter to that list of adjectives, and then shook his head when he picked up on what he was thinking about. He wouldn't get attached to Gaara because he was the other father of this child, not when the bastard didn't want him in return. It would only cause him pain in the end.

"I'll ask you again, Kankuro. What are you doing?" Gaara hissed his voice pure poison. Neji winced. He couldn't understand why the red head was so angry. He supposed that it could be because he didn't want his brother to carry on with one of his conquests. That made his rage bubble to the surface.

He looked up. Kankuro was cowering as he apologized to Gaara profusely, which Neji couldn't understand because he hadn't done anything wrong. For some reason, this made him angry again and he felt as though he'd like nothing more than to lash out at somebody and cause them pain, so that they would understand what he was going through. Alone and pregnant and scared in a world where that, to his Clan, he was nothing more than a common whore

"Grow a fucking backbone!" He snapped at the puppet master, his famed poise and control slipping due to those damn hormones, "You don't have to answer to him because it's got nothing to do with him!"

He saw, with satisfaction, that Kankuro was slack-jawed, though Gaara remained oddly cool despite the circumstances. The red head jerked his head towards an alley, and Neji shook his head defiantly.

"That wasn't a request, Hyuuga Neji," He said. Neji followed, shooting dirty looks at anyone who looked at him for longer than a second.

They reached the back of the side street and faced each other, Neji angry and Gaara seemingly indifferent.

"My brother propositioned you," The red head said after a moment of silence. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Neji ground out.

"Why?"

"I don't know," The brunet replied, folding his arms rebelliously.

"But you're not attracted to him," Gaara stated.

"No. But that doesn't mean that I don't think he's good looking. I could grow to find him attractive," Neji said, knowing that he sounded sulky and put out but not really caring. It was better than his outburst from before, at any rate.

"You're pining for me," The red head said, as though daring Neji to disagree with him.

"No," Neji snapped, "Why does the fact that your brother likes me automatically make you think that!. And people say _I _have a huge ego,"

Unnervingly, Gaara didn't rise to the bait. He simply gazed back, his eyes a tranquil sea blue, paler than when he was overcome by lust. He was serene, perhaps drawing his calm from Neji's complete loss of control over his own emotions.

"So you don't desire me?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. He seemed honestly curious.

"I didn't say that," Neji bit out.

"So you do desire me?"

The brunette remained stubbornly silent, glaring back challengingly.

"Hm. Interesting," Gaara said, "You like me?"

"I said I desired you. Liking you and desiring you are two different things," Neji said, evading the question.

"But do you like me?" Gaara asked, and Neji knew that the red head had caught onto what he was doing. He felt anger at the question and wanted to lash out again, to defend his already tattered pride. He was Hyuuga Neji, and Hyuuga Neji was supposed to be a cold heartless bastard who hated people and wanted to be left alone as much as possible. What had happened?

_Oh, yes, that's right. He got knocked up by the Kazekage_, the brunette thought sourly.

"Why do you care?" Was what came out of his mouth. Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"I don't," He said sharply, though his expression instantly turned remorseful when he caught sight of Neji's stricken look.

To the Hyuuga, it felt as though somebody had driven a rusty nail through his heart. It was one thing to suspect it, but it was another entirely to have his feelings confirmed.

"Neji-" Gaara began, but Neji held his hand up, his expression cold.

"Don't. Just don't," he said. He wanted the red head to feel the raw, fresh pain he did.

"I would have thought that you'd feel a little more compassionate after having that monster removed, but clearly I was wrong," He continued, his expression one of delighted glee as he thought of all the possible things he could say to cause anguish, "You're just the same as before. Just as cold and heartless and cruel as before. I know I'm not the first and I won't be the last to have you once and develop feelings for you, only to find that they were never returned. Are you happy, _Kazekage-sama_? Did you get what you wanted? Now you can brag to all your little whores about how you fucked Hyuuga Neji and made him cum all over a wall like a complete slut and then got him pregnant?"

_OK, that last part wasn't meant to come out, _he thought, wincing slightly. There was moisture on his cheek, and he knew that the skies were clear so the possibility of rain was out. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

_Damn hormones._

"What...What was that last part?"

Neji looked up. Gaara was staring at him, but this time it wasn't with indifference. His gaze held fear and maybe even a little hope as he stared at the brunet.

"Nothing," Neji snarled a bit too forcefully for him to really be believed.

"You're lying," The red head said, "Men can't get pregnant,"

He knew. Oh God, he knew. Neji couldn't lie to him now, not when he already knew the truth. It would do no good. He toyed briefly with refusing to answer any questions but that was ruled out immediately. Gaara would just end up asking Sakura questions about this, and the pink haired girl, being the gossip that she was, would have spread it around the village before tomorrow.

"I'm a Graspevious," Neji sighed, "A male who can become pregnant. It's a special ability passed down to certain individuals within the Hyuuga Clan. I inherited it from my father. I have contraceptives, but I never took them because I swore to myself that I'd never have sex."

"How do I know that you're telling me the truth? It could all just be an elaborate scheme to get me to yourself again,"

There was a moments pause in which Neji's gaze became a thousand degrees colder, his fist clenching until it trembled by his side.

"If I could be bothered trying to get through your sand defenses, I'd punch you for that," He said, his voice shaking when he finally spoke.

"I suppose if you want confirmation, you could ask Tsunade-sama. But it doesn't matter. I'm getting rid of it anyway."

He threw the red head one last look of contempt before turning to leave, knowing that he'd be unable to prevent himself from attacking Gaara if he remained. He stopped only because of the hand on his arm.

"You're getting rid of it?" The red head asked in the same way that one would say _"you're a mad axe murderer?"_

"Yes. And there's nothing you can say to stop me," Neji stated, his tone one of utmost conviction.

"But...isn't that like taking a life?" Gaara asked.

"No," Neji said, not really believing himself, "It won't even have any internal organs or anything yet, so it isn't really alive. In fact, the embryo hasn't begun to form yet, either,"

"But even so..." The red head trailed off, frowning slightly.

"I'm not wavering on this," The brunette said, "I don't want it and neither do you, so this is the best course of action,"

"I...didn't say that I didn't want it,"

"Maybe not, but I can tell. It will be a burden if I keep it. The only reason you're arguing with me on this decision is your misguided sense of duty," Neji shrugged, outwardly appearing indifferent, but inside that was not the case. His stomach was awash with the feeling that all the butterflies of the surrounding nations were congregating in his belly as the warmth of Gaara's hand on his wrist quickly caused his skin to heat up. It was stupid, really, but now that he's had Gaara, he wanted him all the more. What hurt the most was the knowledge that it would never happen, even if the red head decided that he wanted to help Neji raise this child. He didn't actually want it. He just felt guilty that he was the one who had gotten the brunette into this condition in the first place.

"I don't care how little it's formed, it's still a child," Gaara said, "You can't get rid of it. It would be like murdering a completely defenceless child,"

A bitter smile graced Neji's lips and he turned away so that the red head wouldn't see the pained look on his face.

"I guess it's lucky for me that I don't feel that way," He said softly, walking away. Gaara didn't try to stop him. He counted that as a blessing.

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**NEJI'S VIEWS ARE BE NO MEANS THE VIEWS OF MYSELF, AND NEITHER ARE GAARA'S!**

Just thought that I'd make sure people knew that before I got flamed by people calling me an insensitive b--ch.

Thank you to all the people who have taken the time out to review all of my fics. If you have any queries or suggestions, note them down in your review and I'll reply to them as soon as I get them. Thank you once again.

Also, thank you to my lovely beta, Passions Lure. I wouldn't have been able to do this without her because I don't notice my mistakes until I see them online. Read her fic Just Leave Me. It's excellent, I promise.

In addition, anyone who has the link to Sabaku no Kurai's picture inspired by the ending scene of my fic Raven (the part where Neji walks out in a Slytherin school girl uniform), I would be most grateful if you would send it to me.

Ja ne, all!

TenshiXXX

**Edit: This chapter has also been altered a lot. I am satisfied with this chapter at the moment, and I hope that you too are satisfied.**


	4. Chapter 4

WARNINGS: ANGST, MORE PROMISCUOUS!GAARA, USE OF AN OC, MENTIONS OF ABORTION.

AN: I realise that I've made Neji's stomach bigger than it should be at this stage of the pregnancy, but that was deliberate. All will be explained in a few chapters' time.

Chapter 4:

Neji was looking forward to his appointment for the abortion with mingled anticipation and dread. Sure, he couldn't wait to get rid of it so that he could continue with his life, but at the same time there was the niggling doubt at the back of his mind that he was making the wrong decision. He wouldn't let that stop him, though. His conversation with Gaara had left him feeling bereft of emotion, yet sad at the same time, and he was determined to get this thing aborted, if only to spite the red head. Or course, Hinata had tried to convince him to keep it, but it had the same effect that it would have had if she had pleaded with him to keep the chicken pox. Finally, the combination of highly strung hormones and staying up all night eating chocolate to help improve his mood (it didn't help, and he felt sick by the time he fell asleep at 3am), he snapped. He had apologized for all the insensitive things he'd shouted, and she had forgiven him. She had left him alone after she timidly informed him of his responsibilities in a last ditch attempt to get him to "see reason".

He pushed back a stray lock of dark hair, glad that he hadn't developed greasy hair as one of the symptoms of his pregnancy. The clock on the wall said that it was ten past three, so he had twenty minutes to wait until he would be allowed to go inside and get it removed. Tsunade-sama had been shocked when he had come up to her office to speak to her in private about arranging an appointment and had predictably tried to pry, but nothing she had said had persuaded him to divulge the secret of whom had fathered this baby. He had been able to tell that she hadn't wanted him to take this option, but she hadn't been able to get him to "consider his decision more carefully", much to her chagrin. Finally, she had reluctantly penciled him in for half past three on Thursday, hoping against hope that he would change his mind by then. Shizune had seemed disappointed when he had walked in ten minutes ago to sign himself in, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to care. She wasn't from an elite clan, so she didn't know anything about what was acceptable and what was not and had never been in such a position before in her life. Who was she to judge him?

This surge of indignation strengthened his resolve to not allow Tsunade-sama to dissuade him. There was too much at stake for him to be having second thoughts. He clasped his hands in front of him, his eyes darting towards the clock a lot more than was necessary. Only two minutes had passed. Heaving a sigh, he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on.

The sound of crying reached his ears. Instantly, he sat up, looking around for the source of the noise. A young mother hardly older than he was had entered the waiting area with small bundle of blankets cradled in her arms. Neji blinked and looked away.

Surprisingly, the woman sat down next to him, making shushing noises at the baby. Neji watched, fascinated in spite of himself, as the tiny child wrapped a chubby pink hand around its mother's finger, a small mouth opening to reveal toothless gums as it yawned. It was so little and delicate looking, its eyes squinting a little as it turned its bright blue gaze towards him. The baby stared for a moment before its other hand rose out of the blankets in a tiny fist.

"She likes your eyes," The young woman smiled, causing Neji to jump, startled. He had forgotten that she was there.

"How can you tell?" He asked, his gaze once again focused on the child in its mother's arms.

"I can't. It's just an educated guess, really. You're eyes are very...striking. You're from the Hyuuga Clan, right?" The mother answered. Neji nodded.

"But you're eyes are different even within the Hyuuga Clan. I was on the same team as a Hyuuga when I became a Genin, and I met many Hyuugas because of that. But your's are a little more lilac than everyone else's," She smiled again, "I like it. It's a nice colour,"

"Thanks," Neji said, struggling not to flush at the compliment.

"So, are you waiting for your girlfriend to come out of there?" The mother continued, brushing her baby's hair softly with her hand. Evidently, she was the chatty type. Neji shook his head.

"Then why are you waiting in the pregnancy section of the waiting room?" She asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. Composing his face so that he didn't have a deer in the head lights expression plastered across it, Neji shrugged, slouching in his chair. There was a pregnant pause where she fussed with the blankets wrapping the infant before leaning towards him. He had thought that she was going to try to kiss him at first, but then she bypassed his lips and went to his ear.

"You're a Gravispeius, aren't you?" She whispered.

Swallowing audibly, Neji looked around the room to see who was listening in.

"Shhh," He hissed back, afraid that she would spread it around. He could always bribe her to keep her mouth shut if push came to shove, "How did you know?"

"I said that I was on the same team as a Hyuuga, didn't I?" She said. Neji nodded, "Well, one day during training when I was about fifteen, I got to talking with him about how men get the easy deal in life, not having to put up with periods and pregnancies and so forth. And he told me that, actually, there are rare cases within his clan in which men are born with both of those things," She grinned, "It was just a guess, really. All the clues pointed that way. I mean, why else would a man be sitting in the maternal area of the waiting room? And Tsunade-sama only deals with pregnancies under special circumstances,"

"Special circumstances? Then why are you here?" He didn't sound rude. Just curious.

The young woman smiled fondly at her child, gently pulling her baby's thumb out if its mouth. The little girl let out a gurgle of protest, a frown creasing its pink forehead until its eyes found Neji again. Her large innocent eyes became wide and her mouth spread into what was unmistakably a gummy smile. The brunet found himself enraptured with the small baby. It was so beautiful in a way, radiating innocence and delicateness, the smell of talcum powder wafting of her.

"Aiko was conceived through rape," The mother said softly, the adoring gaze focused on her daughter contradicting the tone of this announcement. Neji gaped in shock for a moment the spluttered out a reply.

"Then why did you keep her?"

The young woman stared at him for a moment as though she hadn't heard correctly.

"Well why wouldn't I?" She asked, laughing slightly.

"Because you didn't ask to have that child? Because her father never wanted you?" Neji said, feeling a hint of bitterness entering his voice as he listed the reasons that he himself was here.

A wry smile curved her lips as she took the infants tiny hand in hers. Aiko's entire fist wrapped around just one of her mother's fingers as she happily sucked away at her thumb. It was so hard to think about such a miniscule innocent baby being the product of such a tainted act.

"Which are both things that are beyond Aiko's control," The mother stated. She sent him a hard yet sympathetic look.

"And both of those things are beyond the control of your baby as well," She said, placing her hand on his knee, "Maybe you only think you don't want him or her because this baby is the byproduct of unrequited love, when subconsciously you want to keep it. Think about it. If you were in a relationship with this person you're mooning over, would you still want to kill this child, or would you want to keep it and try to work through this obstacle?"

Neji opened his mouth to retort, and his eyes widened as he realized that there was no point. She was right. He instantly felt like the lowest form of human life. He had tried to justify this to himself because he had wanted to spite Gaara by antagonizing him, but also because he didn't want to give birth to this baby and have to see Gaara's hair or eyes whenever he saw it. His motives behind this decision had been purely selfish. Never once did he think about the baby when he decided what was best. He had thought about his pain and his fear, not stopping to consider this little person who was growing inside him at this moment, as alive as he was. It would be murder to kill it. He knew that now.

"Hyuuga, I'll see you now," He heard Tsunade call. He could hear the tinge of sadness in her voice and grasped that she had been trying to convince him to do what was best rather than attempting to make him keep it so that she could brag about delivering the baby of a Gravispeius or something else equally as self centred. He felt shame at his actions and knew that it would be best to follow her advice before he hurt this child anymore with his pigheadedness.

The young woman nodded approvingly, as though she knew what he was thinking and was happy that he had finally come to his senses. After a split second's hesitation, Neji held his hand out, feeling a kind of kinship with the mother. She took it with a secretive smile which he returned.

"Hyuuga Neji. I'm pleased to meet you," He said.

"Yurushimasu Chikara. Likewise," Was the response.

Neji's hand slid out of hers and he walked towards the door leading to Tsunade's personal operating and consultation room. Here was where the Slug Sannin performed the medical miracles which made her famous. Taking a deep breath outside, his hand wrapped around the handle but not actually making any moves to open it, he steeled his nerves for the life altering decision he was making, and then pushed inwards.

The Godaime Hokage already had the required raw herbs essential for performing an abortion. They were laid out on a surgical steel tray next to a pedestal and mortar, the latter already containing some crushed plants. She herself had a scroll in her hand and, to the untrained eye, she would appear to be reading. Neji knew better, however. Her eyes were stationary, her brow furrowed in worry. She obviously didn't like having to do this and wished that she could refuse.

"Hokage-sama," Neji greeted her. She motioned to a chair by a bedside, which he took.

"Now, is there anything I can say that will make you change your mind?" She asked, her eyes almost pleading.

"No, Hokage-sama," He replied. She sighed in defeat and moved towards the table containing the herbs, but stopped short at his next words.

"Somebody else has already convinced me. Though I wouldn't mind a check up while I'm here. It would save me the trouble of coming back,"

Whirling around, she regarded the Jounin's handsome face, finding no trace of a lie or joke in his expression. There was slight fear and uncertainty, but that was to be expected. Falling pregnant at his age was scary enough for a girl. She couldn't imagine what it must feel like for a boy. However, there was also a hint of serenity in his gaze, as though he was at peace with this complication in his life and had finally come to accept that killing this child would not make him feel any better about himself.

She sighed and grabbed another chair, dragging it next to the brunet's. Relief surged through every pore of her body as she gracefully sat down, a bottle of sake procured from her private stash already half way to her lips. She took a gulp and exhaled loudly, feeling the stress leave her frame. It had been a very tiring day.

"I should hit you for that, Hyuuga," She said, leaning back in the chair, "And I would have if I hadn't been worried about the baby,"

Neji's expression remained flat; he was very familiar with the Godaime's temper and, as such, didn't feel any alarm at this vaguely offensive pronouncement.

"Well, get over here, then. Take your shirt off," Tsunade-sama continued, standing in front of the bed, "I'll do your check up and then I'll tell you the dos and don'ts. Alright?"

Neji didn't see any problem with that, so he nodded and sat on the bed, taking his baggy sweatshirt off as he faced the Sannin. She immediately went to work; green charka flaring around her hands as she swiftly inspected his body with the practiced ease of somebody who was born to do this. She was a genius. Plain and simple. Neji recognized the look in her eyes as the same look he had of his own when he saw his reflection in a river or pond during training. She knew what she was doing, and he felt relieved that she was going to be there to help should any complications arise during the course of his pregnancy.

"You're fit and healthy," She said briskly, making her way over to a cupboard and beginning to rummage through it, "You'll need some medication to help with your iron levels, though. They're low, probably because you're now providing for two,"

He nodded and took the medication she handed him with a thank you, pulling his hooded sweater over his head, glad for the cover. He was showing ever so slightly already, he knew. He had gained around a centimeter around the middle, and, while he knew nobody else would notice, he still felt obscenely huge.

"Let's make this quick, shall we?" Tsunade-sama said, "I suppose you already know that you shouldn't do drugs or alcohol or any strenuous activities,"

"Yes," Neji confirmed, inclining his head.

"Well, don't eat nuts, either. Or anything containing listeria such as soft cheeses (brie, camembert, ricotta) unless they're cooked. The same goes for cold takeaway chicken or chicken in sushi, cold meats including ham and salami, pate, pre-prepared salads such as coleslaw, and raw and smoked sea foods. If these foods are cooked, then it's fine, but not if they're cold,"

"Is there anything I can eat?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow. Tsunade smirked.

"That's what I asked when I learned about medical ninjutsu at the hospital," She said, "Anymore questions?"

"Yes. When will the morning sickness start?" Neji asked. This was the part he was least looking forward to.

"It can happen at any time after conception with Gravispeius, though it's safe to say that it will probably be during the first trimester," She said, "Unfortunately, you will have to return for a blood test before I give you any medication to help with this because I need to get the dosage just right for an O blood type, which can be very temperamental and time consuming,"

The brunette nodded and sighed, resigning himself to at least a couple of days of waking up and straight away dashing to the toilet. The only thing he hated more about this pregnancy than the actual birth (because he knew that it hurt like a bitch) was the puking. He couldn't stand being sick. It left a horrible taste in his mouth and gave him a sore stomach and a pounding headache. He supposed that it was just one of the many perks (note the sarcasm).

"Well, that's all," Tsunade said, clapping her hands to illustrate her point, "Your next appointment should be in about a month. Though I'll send Sakura around every now and again to monitor your progress. Its standard procedure for rape victims and the like, but your case is just as special because of your gender. Now, is there anything else?"

"Yes," Neji said, "Is it possible for you to give me an approximate due date?"

Tsunade nodded.

"I could do another diagnostic, but it'd be quicker if you knew the conception date," She said, "Of course, not many do. So...,"

"2nd September," Neji muttered, flushing a little in spite of himself. Luckily, Tsunade didn't comment on this.

"Are you certain?" She inquired, "Because it might have been during some other time-"

"No, I was a virgin, so I'm pretty sure that it was that time," He cut across her, sending her a strained sort of smile. She raised her eyebrows at this.

"Damn, you got the short straw, didn't you?" she snorted, "Pregnant on the first time? No wonder you freaked."

Shrugging helplessly, he folded his arms and leaned against the door, trying not to appear awkward as she calculated the date that his baby may be born.

"It should be born around...3rd of June next year," Tsunade said, pulling her glasses off and placing them on the bedside table next to her before sitting on top of it as she cleared her throat.

"Now, are you perfectly certain that you can't tell me who you were with to get you in this condition?" she asked, watching him intently, "In case he has passed on some disease to this child?"

Or me, he thought, slightly panicked. But he shook his head anyway. He wouldn't tell unless it was absolutely necessary.

"No," He said, "But would it be possible to check for STIs while I'm here?" The Sannin stared at him with something close to shock on her face.

"What kind of a sleaze ball have you been sleeping with?" She asked. Instantly, Neji's expression turned thunderous, though he had no idea why she should be upset about what people thought of Gaara. He should have been glad that somebody else was taking his views on the red head, even if they didn't know it, but instead the only thing he could feel was rage that somebody could call Gaara such an insulting name.

"Don't call him that!" He growled; his eyes narrowed into slits of anger-darkened mercury.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at him as he sent her a look which said quite clearly that he regretted is actions.

"Alright, sorry. Don't get your panties in a bunch, I don't mean to insult your...," She winced, "One time partner?"

Neji waved his hand dismissively to show that he wasn't offended or anything and closed his eyes, massaging his temples with his fingertips. He couldn't fathom the reasons behind his righteous indignation on Gaara's behalf, and it irked him somewhat. Before Gaara, he had been so practical and in control at all times, focusing on what had to be done and not letting anything get in the way. But that was the thing. It was before Gaara, before the pregnancy.

Before he fell for the red head; knowing that his feelings would never be returned.

As she took a few blood samples and performed some complicated medical procedures, the atmosphere was very tense. Finally, she pronounced him in good health, scribbling some notes onto her clipboard.

"Is that all?" He sighed, heaving himself out of his chair. She nodded, watching him with pitying eyes as though she knew what he was concealing. He had to look away. He couldn't stand the thought of being pitied.

"Hey, Hyuuga," He heard her call, and turned back to her with his hand poised over the door handle.

"If he doesn't come crawling back to you, he's an idiot. And I mean that," She smiled at him briefly, then gave him an impish grin,"Treasure that comment for the rest of your days, because you'll never get another one like it,"

And, despite his bleak mood, he cracked a smile for the first time in weeks.

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Feel free to hate my guts XD I'm sorry, but I had to end it there. I don't like leaving too much time between chapters, and I don't like making them too long either. I hope you've enjoyed this. I've got big things planned for this fic. Don't think that everything's going to be perfect now because things are going to get worse before they get better.

Once again thanks to Passion's Lure. I couldn't have done this without her.

Ja ne, all!

TenshiXXX

**Edit****: Thankfully, there was very little that I had to change with this chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

"Lord Hiashi. May I speak with you for a moment?"

Hiashi paused in his training to cast a worried glance at his nephew. Despite the fact that he was in the middle of a kata, he straightened up instantly and nodded.

"Are you alright?" he asked, observing the way Neji was fidgeting with no small amount of concern. What could possibly be so bad that Neji would be acting so out of character?

Neji nodded jerkily in response, his eyes fixed on the wooden floor of the training room. Hiashi sank to his knees without preamble. Neji followed suit automatically, kneeling with perfect posture, despite his obvious anxiety. When he made no move to speak, Hiashi's concern began to ascend to genuine fear for Neji.

"Neji," Hiashi said, calmly and steadily, "What is wrong?"

Neji took a deep, shaking breath. His hands were visibly trembling as he clasped them in his lap.

"Uncle?" he began, licking his lips nervously, "Do you...Would you ever willingly activate my seal?"

Hiashi stared, startled. He didn't know how he was supposed to answer that question. If he told the truth, that he would if he had no other choice, then Neji would undoubtedly be very upset and wouldn't trust him anymore. On the other hand, if he lied and said no, it would burden his conscience, and, if the day came when he'd have to activate Neji's seal, he would have to deal with his nephew's accusing glare, and would also result in the loss of Neji's trust. In all honesty, he hoped that it would never come to that. He loved his nephew, but he had his duties to his clan. He quietly admitted to himself that he would likely kill himself if he ever had to torture his nephew.

The fact that Neji was worried about this led Hiashi to believe that Neji must have done something terrible indeed. He inwardly quailed at the thought, hoping that Neji's fears weren't going to come true.

"Neji," he said urgently, "What did you do?"

For a moment, Neji was silent. His hair hung down, obscuring his face. Then he muttered something imperceptible.

"Pardon?" Hiashi asked, leaning forward to hear Neji better.

"'mpregnant," he muttered, and Hiashi once again wondered why Neji was speaking gibberish.

"Neji, you need to speak up," he said, "I can't help you if-"

"I'm pregnant, OK?" Neji practically bellowed before realising his mistake and looking horrified. If anyone had heard him...

But the threat of somebody overhearing was the farthest thing from Hiashi's mind at the moment. He could still remember when Neji was a little boy at his father's side, a miniature genius even then, and so happy and innocent. It was as though somebody had torn the ground from underneath Hiashi's feet. Neji was...pregnant. He had officially left childhood and was now an adult in his own right.

_If he can be doing things of an adult nature to get in that condition in the first place, _Hiashi thought dazedly, _then he left his childhood behind long before this little confession._

"Uncle?" Neji called worriedly.

"Please tell me this is some sort of a joke," Hiashi asked, rubbing his temples. Neji shook his head slowly, his eyes downcast.

"Look," Neji began, looking much more like himself now that had gotten that out into the open, "I know I've disappointed you, so can we get my punishment over with?"

"Punishment?" Hiashi asked, bewildered.

"Yes," Neji said, "You and I both know that it is shameful to conceive a child out of wedlock. The elders will almost certainly wish to punish me for my...indiscretion,"

Hiashi winced with sympathy.

"I'm going to ask you some questions now, and I need you to answer them truthfully," Hiashi said, his voice becoming more business-like.

"Alright," Neji said after only a brief moment of hesitation.

"Who is the father?" Hiashi asked, the fire in his eyes daring Neji to lie to him. Nevertheless, Neji wasn't going to give that information up without a fight, it seemed.

"I can't tell you," he said stiffly. Hiashi's frown deepened.

"Neji, if you don't tell me now, I will have no choice but to inform the elders and let them decide what to do about this situation," he said sternly. He felt guilty for threatening Neji like this, but he knew it would help his nephew in the long run.

Neji stared at Hiashi as though he had never seen his uncle before. Hiashi felt an immense amount of guilt for once again putting Neji in such an awful position, yet he had no choice. That man who had fathered Neji's child would take responsibility for his actions or else. A savage glint in his eyes promised retribution if this man dared to try and weasel his way out of it. This was for Neji's honour.

"Neji," Hiashi said as Neji continued to stare at him, "I don't want to pressurise you like this. But you're leaving me no choice. You will lose everything you have worked for if we don't fix this right now,"

Neji nodded.

"I very much doubt that you will believe me," he said, sounding almost calm now that he had gotten that confession off his chest, "Yet it seems I have no choice but to tell you that it was by Kazakage-sama himself that this child was conceived,"

As he spoke, his eyes became distant and bitter. Hiashi knew from experience that this look meant Neji was very upset about something. Apparently, the Kazekage had done something to hurt Neji. Yet all of this was but vague thoughts at the back of his mind as he reeled from yet another blow Neji had dealt him.

It was an odd coupling. There was no denying that. Yet, in his mind's eye, Hiashi was able to picture the two of them together, and he admitted (albeit grudgingly) that they would look beautiful together. Both were also in possession of sharp wit and powers of the elite. Their personalities, too, seemed compatible to Hiashi. Neither of them were exactly social butterflies, yet, somehow, they were able to command respect and charm a crowd with little effort. They would be a fit match, Hiashi decided.

"Very well," he said after length, "I will attend to it right away,"

"Attend to what?" Neji asked, his angled eyebrows meeting as he frowned in confusion.

"Marriage negotiations, of course," Hiashi responded, ignoring the way Neji stiffened, "He will take responsibility for his actions,"

"Marriage?" Neji asked, "No! I refuse! I will not marry him!"

"Neji, you have little choice in this matter," Hiashi said, his gaze tempered by sympathy, "You must marry, or face a hearing in front of the elders. They may kill you, or force you to have the child aborted. And I can tell that, already, you are fond of your child and could not possibly part with it,"

Unconsciously, Neji's hand went to his stomach in a protective gesture as though to prove what Hiashi had said.

"I wish there was another way," Hiashi said with a sigh, feeling wretched as he watched Neji demonstrate an incredibly rare display of vulnerability.

"You would have me marry somebody who feels nothing for me?" Neji asked harshly.

"Yes, if it meant that you will suffer no dishonour, and will live to tell the tale," Hiashi sighed, "I notice that you did not claim that you feel nothing for Kazekage-sama. It seems that you only have to make him return your feelings,"

Neji became visibly despondent at this. Hiashi attributed Neji's inability to conceal his emotions at the moment to great stress.

"That is extremely unlikely to happen," he responded stiffly. Hiashi nodded, not really believing that. He had always believed that anybody Neji married would be very privileged to gain such a partner. Kazakage-sama was not a stupid man. He would definitely realise how lucky he was. Especially since Neji was currently carrying the man's son or daughter. If anything, the Kazekage was unworthy.

Hiashi rose to his feet. Neji remained where he was, kneeling on the floor. His pale eyes stared off into the distance unseeingly. Hiashi took that opportunity to exit the room, leaving Neji to his thoughts.

After a quick shower, Hiashi left the compound with two Bunke Hyuugas as bodyguards, should negotiations turn ugly. He hated using the young men like this, but elders insisted upon it. He would do it if only to appease them. He highly doubted that any fighting would take place during this meeting, but it would not hurt to be prepared.

They arrived at Hokage tower in record time. Hiashi knew that he must have had an intimidating look on his face because every ninja he met in the mission room, including Jounin, leapt out of the way. He stalked deliberately towards Shizune, casting a shadow over the shorter woman.

"Would you please tell me where I may find Kazekage-sama?" Hiashi asked. Shizune seems taken aback but hastened to respond.

"He's currently in a meeting with Tsunade-sama right now, but-"

"Thank you," Hiashi interrupted smoothly, stepping around her and making it half way up the stairs before she came to her senses.

"Wait!" she cried, following him noisily, "You can't go in there!"

"I can and I will," Hiashi responded. The Kazekage was only scheduled to be here for a little while longer, and there may not have been another chance to talk to him. Hiashi was grasping this opportunity with both hands, as unyielding as a dog with a steak.

Nevertheless, he was a well-mannered individual when he wasn't worried about his beloved nephew, and he managed to calm himself down enough to knock on the door to Tsunade's office, rather than simply bursting into the room unannounced.

At the calm "Enter" from Tsunade, Hiashi wasted no time and flung open the door. Tsunade's desk had been taken out for this meeting, and she and the Kazakage, along with the Kazekage's siblings, the last remaining Uchiha and the young blond man Hinata was enamoured with, were seated around a round table. All glanced up with puzzlement when Hiashi entered the room.

"Lord Hiashi?" Tsunade asked with honest bewilderment, "Is something wrong?"

"I suppose that is one way of putting it," Hiashi responded, making sure to glare at Kazakage-sama for good measure. As expected, there was a flicker of understanding in the Kazekage's eyes, and he inclined his head towards Hiashi.

"I take it he did not kill it afterall?" the Kazekage said, drawing looks of confusion from the other occupants of the room.

"No," Hiashi said coolly, "I did not know that had considered that solution, but he seems to have decided on keeping it, despite the hardship he will suffer in the future because of it,"

The Kazekage nodded.

"What would you have me do?" he asked, and, to Hiashi, it seemed as though that question wasn't exactly rhetorical.

"It is by you that this came to pass, although I am sure that he is equally to blame," Hiashi said, the words tasting as bitter as ash as he pronounced them, "So I am here to implore you to take responsibility for your actions,"

"I have little choice in the matter, do I?" the Kazekage asked, smirking wryly.

"If I could have it my way, you would have no choice at all," Hiashi responded, uncaring that this man could probably kill him in an instant.

"So...marriage then?" Kazakage-sama asked. At Hiashi's nod, his smirk widened.

"I suppose he love you for that,"

"It will save his honour," Hiashi said coolly, "Aswell as your's,"

Far from appearing upset, the Kazekage actually appeared pleased with how events had turned out.

"I was hoping that this would come to pass," he said, "Not because I feel anything towards him, but because my conscience has been plaguing me since I found out. I can now fix the wrong I have done,"

"Fix it?" Hiashi asked, still smarting from the fact that the Kazekage had more or less just told Hiashi that he felt nothing for Neji, signifying that Neji had given his virginity to a man who saw Neji as nothing more than a conquest, "There is no way that you could possibly fix what you have done,"

"Alleviate it, then," Gaara conceded. Around them, their companions continued to look bewildered. Only Tsunade-sama seems to understand the exchange, and she was frowning to herself in deep thought. Finally, it seemed that the young blond man (_Naruto_, was it?) could not, and would not, contain himself anymore.

"Could somebody please tell me what's going on?" he burst out.

"It has nothing to do with you, Naruto," the Kazekage said. Naruto looked stunned, and the young Uchiha immediately sprung to his defence.

"You can't expect to have a conversation like that in front of the moron and not expect him to become curious!" he snapped, "You've always told him stuff before! Why not now?"

The Kazekage glared at him.

"Because," he said coldly, "This is not my secret to tell,"

"How soon could a betrothal contract be drawn up?" Kazekage-sama asked Tsunade, impressing Hiashi with his knowledge of Clan tradition, albeit against his will.

"Four days," she said at length, "Both parties need to specify their conditions and a wide array of other things before the document can be drawn up and filed. If Gaara-san would give me his conditions now, it would save even more time and I could have the contract drawn up a day earlier, provided that the Hyuuga Clan are able to settle on their demands within a day,"

The Kazekage nodded, and Hiashi sighed inwardly. Was he really making the right decision in forcing Neji to marry a man who had recently announced that he did not love Neji, simply to save Neji's honour?

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Chapter 5 is what one might call pathetically short. Sorry about this, people. The next chapter will have Neji understanding his responsibilities as a parent, and coming to terms with his betrothal to Gaara. Gaara's in for a few shocks himself.

I hope this was satisfactory, despite being such a short chapter. More is on the way.

Ja ne, all!

TenshiXXX


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